“The raconteur knows too well that, if he investigates the truth of the matter, he is only too likely to lose his good story.”

“History is not the study of origins; rather it is the analysis of all the mediations by which the past was turned into our present.”

“If history can do anything it is to remind us that all our judgments are merely relative to time and circumstance.”

“The study of the past with one eye upon the present is the source of all sins and sophistries in history. It is the essence of what we mean by the word "unhistorical".”

“We too often forget that not only is there 'a soul of goodness in things evil,' but very generally also, a soul of truth in things erroneous.”

“Clinging to any form of conservatism can be dangerous. Become too conservative and you are unprepared for surprises. You cannot depend on luck. Logic is blind and often knows only its own past. Logic is good for playing chess but is often too slow for the needs of survival.”

“Ah! Indeed but! But he consumes too much spice, eats it like candy. Look at his eyes! He might have come directly from the Arrakeen labor pool. Efficient, Piter, but he's still emotional and prone to passionate outbursts. Efficient, Piter, but he still can err. -Baron Vladimir”